How to Survive: Spring Semester
by Storm Elf
Summary: Continuation of How to Survive College With Ron joining the gang at Chatnior, Harry's new relationship with is already under fire. Will Ron be able to handle it, and what happens if he finds out about Hermione and Blaise? Harry/Drac
1. Chapter 1

Sorry about taking so long to get it out, but I hope that you enjoy it!

Harry's mind was buzzing as they finally pulled up to Chatnior. Ron was positively bouncing next to him. The announcement about Ron going to college with them was surprising at best, irritating at worse. Draco had not said two words to either of them since they entered the car. His mind was swirling with everything that he wanted to tell Harry, words of love, having missed him. There was just so much that he wanted to say, but he sat in the corner with his arms crossed and kept his eyes out the window. Ron had been talking almost nonstop.

"We're here," Harry announced, finally getting Ron to be quiet, "You'll have to go to the main office, Draco and I have to go to the main hall."

"Which way is that?" Ron asked.

"Take this sidewalk up to the left, it's the big building with a clock on it. They'll get you settled and then lead you down to the main hall." Harry instructed, pointing off in the direction that he indicated. Ron left the car, leaving the baggage. Harry and Draco would drop it off before entering the hall. It would then be magically transported to their rooms, just as it had been last semester.

"I thought he'd never leave," Draco sighed, moving out of the corner and sitting next to Harry. He placed a hand on the former Gryffindor's thigh and leaned in, "I can't wait until we get to our room."

Harry moaned in anticipation. He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of warm lips on his own. His heart pounded as Draco deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around Harry's frame, pulling their bodies together. They were both panting at the end of the kiss, Draco now pinning the slightly larger boy to the plush leather seat. The blonde reached down, smoothing some of Harry's hair away from his eyes. Their lips met again, slower this time. The kiss spoke of restraint, a promise for later.

"We still have to figure out how we're going to arrange the room," Harry reminded him, enjoying the unfamiliar weight pressing on top of his body. Apart from their one night together, they had not had a chance to explore each others bodies. They had planned to get familiar with each other's lean muscles and hard bodies during the trip over, but that plan had been shattered.

"Yeah, we can figure that out once we're in there. As long as our beds are together, I couldn't care less how everything else is set up," Draco smiled, leaning in for another hot kiss. "You are so amazing."

They separated, both panting with desire. Neither was pleased with the separation, but they knew that it was necessary. They couldn't spend much time together yet, they had to wait until they were in their dorm room. Right now they had to go to the main hall and wait for the handful of new students that would be arriving. They would eat some sort of orientation meal and they would soon be free to let their desires take the better of them.

As they walked into the hall, they quickly spotted Hermione and Blaise. The two of them were sitting very close together, talking in a hushed tone. Harry and Draco sat down next to them in silence. The pair greeted them but they otherwise continued their conversation. Hermione occasionally took breaks to tell Harry about some of the exciting things that she had done while spending the winter with Blaise. Something deep inside told Harry that she had had more excitement than she was planning to admit to.

Hermione's unmentioned exploits threw Harry's lack of experience in sharp contrast. Harry could tell that he was the only one who had been looking forward to full enjoyment of the ride over. Not only a chance to explore the more secretive aspects of their relationship, but also a chance to just talk to Draco. Ron had ruined that plan, though they understood that he did not know that there were any plans to ruin. Harry's head jerked up when he realized that Ron's presence could hurt more than just his opportunities.

"Hey, Hermione, did Ron talk to you lately?" Harry asked.

"No, he hasn't," Hermione shook her head, looking confused.

"I guess he wanted to surprise you," Harry sighed, "He surprised Draco and I too. He passed that graduation test, he's one of the new students."

"Oh," Hermione looked disappointed, but she tried to hide it, "It will be nice to see him again."

"You two are still together," Blaise asked, acting as though nothing was riding on the answer.

"Yes," Hermione nodded, forcing a smile to her face.

Blaise nodded and continued eating as though the answer had not affected anything. Harry could not

Harry sighed deeply, wondering just what he should do. He did not want to bring up the fact that he was almost one hundred percent certain that Hermione was cheating on his best friend. Somehow he hadn't had a problem with it last year, Ron's absence seemed to absolve her of any guilt. Now that Ron was back, he wasn't sure where his loyalties were. Technically she was in the wrong, but she seemed so happy and it wasn't like Ron had even been much of a boyfriend even when he had been around. Ron threatened the delicate balance that had been formed over the previous semester. His friendship with Hermione, Blaise, and Draco were all threatened.

"He'll be here soon," Draco said, acting as though it did not matter to him. He understood more than anyone else that Ron could not find out about their relationship. Hermione and Blaise already knew about them, even though Hermione pretended like she didn't. The two of them would keep their mouths shut, even if something happened to ruin their friendships. Ron had a history of acting out against people that he was mad at. It would be far too easy for him to slip up, should he get mad at Harry. He also knew that Hermione and Blaise both supported their relationship, even if they only showed their support silently. No one had to ask if they thought that Ron would. While Harry had no idea what his friend's stance on homosexuality was, he knew all too well his stance on Slytherins.

"Draco," Harry reached over and placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, "This isn't going to change anything."

Draco laughed. Things were going to change, they all knew it. No matter what they said or if they tried to pretend, things would never be the same. They all looked around their table, taking in the last moments before the change. They memorized each other's faces. They only broke their gaze when they heard the doors open.

A small number of students came in, all new to Chatnoir. Many of them were transfers, people who had gone to some other school last semester and got into Chatnior afterwards.

It was only then that Harry looked around and realized that there were also people missing from the returning students. The new students received a speech similar to the one that he had listened to just a couple of months ago. Some of the students, presumably those transferring from other schools, seemed bored and uninterested. Ron, on the other hand, looked shocked and lost, similar to how Harry had felt the first time he had walked through those doors. He felt sorry for his friend, but not that sorry. Harry had come to school expecting not to have many friends and ended up with more than he had imagined. Ron came in expecting to have friends, but he might not end up with any. It all depended on how he decided to act.

At the end of the speech they were invited to join the tables. Some of the new students went to the higher level tables, the ones that had spent years at other schools first. Ron came over to them, sitting next to Hermione. He took her hand in his. Harry tried not to notice how unexcited she seemed. He kissed her on the cheek and a look of jealousy flashed across Blaise's face. Harry bit his lip. This was not going to end well for anyone.

"Hey, Harry, what classes do you have?" Ron asked as he began eating the food that had recently appeared the table.

"I have Wizarding Anatomy and Physiology, Treatment of Minor Illnesses, Treatment of Minor Injuries, and Medical Potions." Harry answered, realizing that he had not told his friend about his change in major.

"You aren't going to be an Aoura?" Ron asked, shocked and possibly disgusted.

"No, I'm not," Harry said, trying to make it sound final.

"What changed your mind?" Ron asked, no longer sounding angry at the change.

Harry went into an explanation of his reasons, particularly resting on the problems that he had had with his professors. It had almost killed him to write about how Sirus had betrayed the Potter family, which led to their deaths. Knowing so much truth that was not official knowledge was painful, especially when it was about people who he loved. Ron nodded as he listened to the story. Harry tried to read his friend's reaction, but he couldn't get a good hold on just how Ron was taking the news.

"I'm still going to help people, I'm just going to help people a different way," Harry shrugged.

Ron seemed comfortable with the situation, which was more than Harry had expected. He not only agreed with the change, he actually complimented Harry for the decision. He seemed excited to hear about the classes that Harry was taking, even joked about coming to Harry next time he did something stupid and got hurt. The two of them had a good conversation going on, Hermione sometimes joining in. The two Slytherins sat off to the side, pretending not to notice that they did not seem welcome in the conversation.

"Hey, Draco, you still going to help me with Medical Potions?" Harry asked, trying to invite him to talk.

"Like you need help," Ron snorted, "especially from a Slytherin. Hermione could probably do a better job, couldn't you, Mione?"

Draco swallowed, not saying a word. Hermione blushed and looked away. It was obvious what Ron was trying to say, even if he did not come out and say it. Ron didn't want Harry to cross house lines. He certainly didn't like, possibly didn't trust, Draco.

"I have a lot of classes, it will be hard enough for me to get my work done," Hermione said, taking a small bite of her food, "Draco is better at potions anyway."

"Yeah, but he's a Slytherin," Ron knitted his eyebrows together, looking genuinely confused about what had happened. He didn't seem angry, just startled.

"He helped me get though last semester, I even shared a room with him," Harry leaned in, trying to keep his voice quiet, even though he felt like screaming "He didn't do anything, he's changed."

Ron rolled his eyes and quickly turned the conversation back to a topic that the three Gryffindors could talk about without the Sltherins' input. It stayed like that for the rest of the dinner. Harry didn't try to bring them into the conversation again, they didn't try to get into it. It was just easier to stay out of it. There would be times when Ron was not around, their friendships could continue, just not as openly as they had before.

There was almost a sigh of relief when the dinner ended. The new students were asked to go to the front to meet with the residency directors to get their room assignments. Unlike with the students who arrived during the fall semester, they did not have their room assignments owled to them in advance. According to the announcement, there had been some complications in assigning rooms due to students dropping out or signing up at the last minute.

"Thank Merlin," Draco muttered as Ron headed up to the front of the room.

"He's my friend," Harry reminded him.

"He's bloody useless."

"He's going to be too busy unpacking to do anything for the rest of the night," Harry said as he stood up, "I'm tired, so I think that I'm just going to spend the rest of the night in our room."

"Sounds like a plan," Draco smirked.

Blaise shook his head, laughing at the pair of them. Draco knew that they were being obvious, but he didn't care. He made sure that Blaise and Hermione both knew that they were not to be bothered for the rest of the night. If they were able to get what they wanted, it would be worth having the pair figure out what they would be doing. If anything, they would be surprised that it was only their second time.

Harry and Draco hurried up the five flights of stairs, reaching the top in record time. They didn't notice how there were too many stairs, or how the walls were all torn up, or any of the other problems that they had with the dorms last semester. As they reached the door, Draco pulled out his keys. He put the key in the lock and tried to turn it, but nothing happened. He pulled his keys out and double checked that he had the right one. It was indeed the correct key. He tried it again but he got the same results.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, anxious to get into the room.

Draco looked up at the number above the door. It was the right door, the right key, but it wouldn't open. He was just about to tell Harry what was going wrong when he heard the sounds of Ron coming up the stairs. The door to the stairwell opened to reveal both Ron and Toby Williams, the residency director.

"The rules are pretty simple. I think that you already have the rulebook, but here's another copy" Toby said, handing Ron a thin book. He looked up as if he noticed Harry and Draco for the first time, "Good news, your room change request has finally gone through."

"What?" Draco asked, trying to keep his jaw closed but not succeeding.

"At the beginning of last semester you two put in a request for a room change, back then we told you that it would not happen," Toby clarified. "But the good news is that things have changed since then. We've done some shuffling and we've gotten you different roommates."

A sudden rush of fear overtook Harry. Why was Ron standing so close, why was he acting like he had some sort of vested interest in the outcome of the story? It wasn't possible, was it? No, it would be too cruel, too unlikely.

"I'm your roommate, Harry!" Ron smiled.

"Great," Harry forced himself to smile back. He looked over at Draco who was making no attempt to disguise his feelings. He was furious, attempting to burn a hole into Toby's head with his eyes.

Okay, sorry that it took me so long to post this. This story is probably going to be slow going. I have four undergraduate level classes and one graduate level class (though honestly, two of my undergrad might as well be grad level with as much work as they have…). There's a lot of work to be done and I cannot neglect these classes. I'll get the next chapter posted when I can.

I really hope that you all enjoyed this first chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

Harry laid on his bed, trying to ignore the soft snoring from the other side of the room. He sighed heavily and rolled over on his side. Finally, he grabbed is pillow and pinned it over his head to block out the sounds. Ron's snoring had never bothered him at Hogwarts. It hadn't even bothered him the night before when they were both sleeping in Ron's tiny room. Now, however, the sound was nothing more than a reminder of what he was and was not going to get during this semester. Draco had slept silently, never making a single sound. Now he was off sleeping in some other room, far away from Harry. It felt like had lost him.

A particularly loud snore broke though the pillow. Harry had had enough. He threw the pillow to the ground and jumped out of bed. He was not going to be able to sleep. He stepped lightly, not wanting to wake Ron up, and exited the room. He wished that he could see Draco, maybe wrap his arms around the blonde's body. He needed to feel that warmth seeping through his skin. It was too late though. Everyone would be asleep. Draco would be in his new room, with his new roommate, and Harry didn't even know which room it was.

He was about to give up and go back to bed when he heard footsteps heading towards him. He turned and was delighted to see Draco walking up the hall. A warm smile spread across Harry's face. Draco looked around, checking to make sure that they were alone, before he pulled Harry into a passionate kiss. Harry felt the tension of the day melt away as soon as the warm lips met his own. He held Draco close, enjoying the pressure against his chest. They kissed again and again, short kisses that they could escape from quickly if anyone should enter the hall. Their hearts raced at the thrill and excitement of their secret.

"Merlin, I've wanted to do that since New Years," Draco said breathlessly.

"I know," Harry agreed. The kisses that they had exchanged in the car were just not enough.

They separated, still in fear of someone discovering them. Together, they slumped against the wall. Harry's mind was still buzzing from the kiss. He wanted so much more, but he knew how impossible that would be. They had to be as careful as they could. Harry did not want to think about the consequences if anyone found out. His name would be flashed around the news papers yet again. He doubted that the media would have anything good to sway about The Boy Who Lived dating the son of a known Death Eater. If it had not been for the testimony of his father, there was a good chance that Draco would have been investigated further. While Harry hated to think about it, he knew that the former Slytherin would have been convicted. He was, after all, guilty of several crimes.

"I wish that I could have talked to you during dinner," Draco said after a long pause.

"It's nice to hear your voice again rather than just reading your owls," Harry agreed, "I swear that I didn't know that Ron was going to be coming with us."

"I thought that it was going to be hard just keeping my hands off of you while we took him to Kings Station, didn't know I was going to have to do it the whole way there,"

"Not to mention what happened at dinner," Harry rolled his eyes, "Sorry that he was so rude to you."

"You weren't in charge of teaching him his manners," Draco shrugged.

Harry let out a deep sigh. He had been looking forward to returning to Chatnior and being with Draco again. He hated to think that his best friend was the reason that he was unhappy, but it was the truth. The friendships that he had built with Draco and Blaise had been formed in Ron's absence. If he had been there from the beginning, it wouldn't have been so difficult. Then again, if he had been there from the beginning, Harry doubted that those close bonds would have been formed. Harry hated thinking that it would be better if his best friend wasn't there.

As if Ron could hear Harry thinking about him, a light flipped on in their shared room. Draco shifted, putting more distance between him and Harry before the door opened. Ron stood in the doorway, framed by the bright light behind him. Harry could almost feel the hatred seeping out of his boyfriend, lover? He wasn't sure what to classify Draco as at the moment. They hadn't discussed it.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Ron asked as he sleepily rubbed his eyes, "I woke up, but you weren't there, thought something might have happened."

"I'm fine, I just couldn't get to sleep." Harry said, realizing now that he had never asked Draco why he was in the halls so late, "Go back to bed, I'll be in soon."

Ron nodded and disappeared back into his room. Harry stood up with an overdramatic sigh. Draco didn't say anything, he just stood up and walked off in the direction of his room, or at least Harry assumed that that was where he was headed. He wanted to call out to him, but he had no idea what he would say. The situation with Ron was only temporary, until the end of the semester at the very latest, but their relationship was only temporary too. A deadline loomed over them, even if it was over three years away. It would still be there, no matter how happy or miserable they were. With that darkness stalking them, Ron's interference, even if it was only for a few months, seemed so much worse. There were no words of comfort that Harry could offer Draco.

* * *

Harry groaned as Ron's alarm clock went off at eight AM. It wasn't particularly loud or irritating, but Harry just did not have to be awake that early. He knew that Draco's alarm must have woken him up many times, but this somehow seemed different. He told himself that it was because he hadn't had a specific time to wake up for some time. Soon he'd get used to it and it wouldn't bother him anymore. It had nothing to do with his disappointment about his roommate. He should be glad that Ron was his roommate. They had been friend since they were eleven years old. He should be jumping for joy, not wishing that he could swap him for someone that he hadn't even gotten along with until a few months ago.

He kept his thoughts to himself as he rolled out of bed. There was no point in trying to get back to sleep, he wouldn't be able to. He got ready quickly and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. It was rare for him to be awake early enough to eat breakfast before class. Usually he just sat through the class trying not to think about how hungry he was. In a week or so he'd learn how to sleep through his friend's alarm and he'd return to his old ways. For now, though, he'd enjoy the feeling of a full stomach during his morning class.

He walked to the dining hall alone, Ron had already rushed off to his first class. He stepped into the warm hall and soon spotted Blaise and Hermione enjoying plates of pancakes. As much as he wanted to walk over and join them, he did not want to intrude. They faced as many problems, if not more, than he and Draco did. Harry did not want to go to them and complain. Apart from how wrong it would be, it would also upset the balance of everyone feigning ignorance of the romance surrounding the four of them.e

Hermione spotted Harry after he got his food, a plate piled high with hot pancakes and sausage, and waved him over. As he sat down they began talking about everything that had happened over winter break, their new schedules, and everything else that the could without mentioning Ron. It was nice to hear Blaise contributing to the conversation, something that had not happened the night before. Back in Hogwarts, Harry had never imagined that he would want to hear the Slytherin's voice. After fall semester, he never expected to miss it. He was surprised, and somewhat disappointed, by how much more comfortable he was talking with Blaise than he was his best friend.

"You think he'll warm up to us?" Blaise asked. No one had to ask who he was talking about.

Harry took a deep breath, putting some real thought into his answer. Ron could be very stubborn when he wanted to. Once he made a decision about a person, he tented to stick to it. There was no question what Ron had decided about Slytherins. Maybe he would start to let go of some of his prejudices now that he was away from Hogwarts' sharp division and house rivalry. There was no longer any difference between the two Slytherines and the three Gryffindors. If anything, there were more similarities since they all went to Hogwarts together. But, Harry had to admit, it had taken him a while to look past the former house alliances.

"He might," Harry finally said, "But it's going to take time, plus some work on everyone's part."

Blaise nodded, looking disappointed, but not surprised. Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, a gesture that Harry chose to ignore. It hurt Harry deep inside that Blaise was hoping to strike up a friendship while he knew that Ron had no such interest. But then again, Ron did have a good reason to hate Blaise, even if he did not know it yet. Ron had foolishly believed that Hermione's extended stay with the former Slytherine was a study trip, nothing more. While Harry was not ready to convict Hermione of cheating on Ron, it did seem as thought that was the case.

"Mr. Potter," A familiar voice said from behind Harry.

He spun around to see Professor Ashton standing behind him. The winter break had treated the man well. His hair was freshly dyed black again, covering up the patches where it had faded to a grayish brown. He seemed more alert and less tired than Harry had ever seen him before, but he still carried an air of suffering about himself.

He had greatly enjoyed the professor's Muggle Studies class, even the lazy methods of teaching. Hermione may have a fit if she learned that Muggle Studies was mostly just one hour of watching a movie, but he had loved it. Whenever someone complained, Ashton had been fond of telling everyone that there were simply not enough Muggle Studies professors to go around at the moment. Many had met an unfortunate demise at the hands of the dark lord. No matter how many complaints were made about him, Professor Ashton explained, he would not be fired. Chatnior had already been desperate when they hired him. If they hadn't been desperate, he argued, they would have found someone better the first time around.

"Hello Professor," Harry greeted him, "I'm surprised that you're up this early."

"So am I," Ashton laughed, "But I had hoped to catch you before class. There's something that I need to talk to you about, but not here. Come by my office when you get a chance, bring Draco."

"Yes, sir," Harry responded. It felt odd to address Ashton so professionally, particularly when he exuded such casualness. The man refused to be referred to by anything but his first name and was so unlike any professor that Harry had ever met before, but he was indeed a professor and should be addressed as such.

"He the Muggle Studies professor?" Blaise asked after Ashton and walked away, "Related to Draco, right?"

Harry nodded and returned to eating his food. He wasn't going to worry about what Ashton wanted. It was most likely something minor, nothing compared to what had been asked of him in the past. He was much more concerned with the first day of classes. He had Care and Treatment of Minor Injuries from ten thirty until eleven forty-five and then Care and Treatment of Minor Illness at noon. While he had been on the receiving end of more than enough healing magic, he could not heal so much as a paper cut himself. His two other classes, Medical Potions and then Wizarding Anatomy, were not until tomorrow and were not as frightening. He'd have Medical Potions with Draco, there was no way he'd get low marks.

* * *

Harry had significantly calmed down after his first two classes. Both of them were taught by a graying witch who seemed more like a grandmother than a professor. Most schools, she had told them, did not teach any healing spells, not until the university level. They were considered too dangerous for the majority of students. The incident involving Lockheart sprung to mind. While it meant that the class would be difficult, at least he wasn't behind on his learning.

Now finished with his classes for the day, Harry headed back to his dorm room. He had not forgotten about his promise to Professor Ashton. Draco had a free period and he knew that Harry would be done for the day. With any luck, the former Slytherine would be waiting at the dorms for him and they could both visit the professor together.

When Harry reached the fifth floor, he was delighted to see Draco standing in the hallway. The blonde's face lit up with a smile when he spotted Harry. It was too risky for them to do anything together more than talk. It would not be good if Ron were to walk in on them. Without waiting a moment, Harry opened the door and almost shoved Draco inside. Before the door could fully close behind them, Draco's lips were on his. Fiery passion burned between them for a moment before they forced themselves apart. Harry was breathing hard, his heart pounding, demanding more. By the looks of it, Draco suffered from the same symptoms of their separation.

"Ashton wants to talk to us," Harry said, still recovering from the rust of testosterone that had just flooded his system.

"He always wants something," Draco snorted. His eyes traveled around the room, taking in the differences.

Harry swallowed hard, feeling slightly awkward. This, he realized, was the first time that they were truly alone since Draco had decided to take a shot at happiness. He didn't count the brief time in the car. There were things that he had wanted to tell Draco, but had been too afraid to put down on parchment, words that it almost hurt to keep inside. He had expected them to flow out of him now that they had the chance, but they did not. They all seemed too pointless, too soon, or just plain wrong. He didn't have anything left. Instead, the two boys just looked at each other, uncertain of what to do.

The silence in the room was broken when the door swung open loudly. Both Harry and Draco jumped at the sound, terrified at the thought of someone catching them. Harry relaxed instantly as he saw Ron. The pair had not been in the middle of anything and Ron was somewhat slow when it came to relationships. Left to his own devices, Harry doubted that the redhead would ever learn about the secret romance that would be playing out in front of him all semester long.

"What's he doing here?" Ron demanded, eyeing Draco with suspicion.

"I invited him in," Harry shrugged. He hoped that Ron would have the sense to drop the discussion. The room was his as much as it was Ron's. Harry could invite in whomever he wanted.

Everyone in the room could tell that Ron wanted to say more. The space filled with tension, the lights seemed to dim around them. Harry mentally begged both of his friends not to say anything. He could deal with them not getting along, but he wouldn't be able to choose sides if they began fighting. He stepped between the two of them when Draco began to open his mouth.

"We should go find out what Professor Ashton wanted, it might be something important," Harry said a bit too quickly.

Draco nodded and left the pair in the room before Ron could say anything. The air in the hallway seemed more open and comfortable than the air in the room. Harry instantly felt more relaxed.

"I wasn't going to say anything bad," Draco said, leaving Harry confused for a moment, "Back in the room, I wasn't going to antagonize him."

"Neither of you have a good track record of being nice to each other, I didn't want to take that chance," Harry sighed heavily, now understanding just how difficult their secret would be.

* * *

Wow, only a little more than a week since the past update. Not bad, not bad at all. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Before I posted the first chapter I honestly didn't know that so many people hated Ron. I kind of like the poor guy. Sorry folks, but he's staying in. He's too much of an important plot device for me to get rid of him. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

When Ron's alarm clock woke Harry up for the second day, Harry knew that he could not complain. Even though he did not have class for two hours, he still had somewhere to be. When Professor Ashton had spoken to Draco and Harry the day before, he had asked them for assistance in his class. While he could not get fired, he knew that many people considered his class a waste of time. Hopefully seeing that the famous Harry Potter and a renowned pureblood had enjoyed his class could help sway people's opinions. This, he considered, was different from the ministry asking him to pretend to support them. He actually had enjoyed Ashton's class, even if he did believe that he was a very lazy professor. The fact that it gave him and Draco an excuse to be together at any given time to "work on class activities" had nothing to do with it. Ashton had also expressed concern that he would have to leave the school for maybe a week sometime during the semester. During that time, Harry and Draco would be in charge of the class.

Ron had been excited to hear that Harry would be helping out with his class most of the time, though he would be visiting other classes as well. He was less happy to hear that Draco would be there as well.

"I thought he hated muggle things," Ron grumbled again as they walked towards the building. The cold bit into the air and made him more grumpy than usual.

"Ashton has some blackmail on him or something," Harry shrugged, "Not anything big, just embarrassing pictures, things from his childhood, stuff like that."

"Probably payment for a passing grade, no way he'd pass any other way," Ron snorted, apparently forgetting his disastrous attempt to call Harry on the muggle telephone.

"Ron," Harry said in a warning tone.

The redhead looked away from Harry, acting like a three year old who had just been caught misbehaving. During last night's dinner, a Slytherine-free event, both Harry and Hermione had tried to explain that they had indeed become friends with the former rivals. While he still could not wrap his head around how it had happened, Ron had promised to be nicer to them, just so long as they did the same. Considering that they had struck up a friendship without such a deal, they had high hopes for their friend.

Draco was standing at the front of the class with Professor Ashton when they arrived. They were having some sort of argument, most likely it was about something stupid that neither of them truly cared about. Harry knew them well enough to understand that they argued to pass the time. Neither would give up, using outrageously incorrect information to prove their point if they ran out of factual information. The winner seemed to be determined by who lasted the longest without laughing at how ridicules their own argument was. Most of the time there was no winner.

"I don't care, wand or no wand, the wizard would win." Draco argued.

"We aren't talking about some cuddly housecat, we're talking about a lion, a big, king of the jungle, lion!"

"They don't live in the jungle, and besides, wizards can do wandless magic."

"Yeah, by accident when they are kids!"

The verbal battle halted when Harry approached. Draco nodded a greeting and Ashton tried to make himself look more presentable and professional. It failed miserably, but Harry had to give him points for trying. No one else had arrived for the class yet, so Ron got first choice of seats while Ashton went over the plan with his two new assistants.

"So you two just have to sit there and look pretty until I need you. It's really just your physical presence that I need more than anything else," he explained, "The one of there with the red hair, a Weasly, right?"

"Yes, Ron Weasly," Harry nodded.

"A friend of yours then, anyone in particular you want me to pair him up with?"

Harry and Draco locked eyes, identical thoughts running through their brains.

"Blaise Zambini," They both answered at the same time.

"He should be in this class," Draco added.

"Very well," Ashton scribbled a note on the class list, "Weasly and Zambini it is. Now, you two and go take your seat in the corner."

* * *

The majority of the first day was just as Harry remembered it. The first thing that Professor Ashton did was pair everyone up. Ron did not look happy with being paired with Blaise, but he held his tongue. He told them what they would be doing all semester long. Just as before, he issued a warning about people trying to figure out his last name. Harry doubted that he would actually be allowed to fail a student for that reason, but no one wanted to test that.

"Okay, that took up all of twenty minutes. I will give you the rest of the period free, but there is one last issue that I want to address," Ashton looked across the students, meeting each one's gaze, "I have recently been made aware of some stories circulating around campus. I'd like to set the record straight on these issues. First off, I am not a death eater attempting to escape prosecution. I do not share my last name simply because I am not fond of my family. Secondly, I am not a child molester, I honestly don't even know how that story started. And lastly, I have heard people say that I am the worst professor on campus. If the worst professor here is a lazy muggle studies teacher, then the standards of Chatnior have greatly increased since I was here only a couple of years ago. That's it, class dismissed!"

As everyone emptied the room as fast as they could, Ron came up to where Harry and Draco were sitting. Harry was slightly unnerved by the smirk on his friend's face. He did not want to think that Ron would have some smart remark for Draco, but it was asking a lot for him to change his habits overnight. Harry held his breath and waited to hear what his friend had to say.

"Ashton, he's related to you, isn't he?" Ron asked.

"Cousin," Draco shrugged, "Most people stopped figuring it out when he dyed his hair black."

"His face still looks like yours though," Ron nodded.

"All Malfoys look almost identical when we are little, then gradually grow more unique as they age. It gets confusing sometimes."

"Sounds like my family," Ron smiled, soon going into some story about getting mistaken for one of his cousins.

In his head, Harry jumped for joy. They just had a civil conversation! Not only that, but a civil conversation about their families. He began to feel his worries fade. Both of them understood how important it was to Harry and they were both making an effort. He couldn't ask them for any more than that.

* * *

Harry sighed heavily as he climbed the many steps up to his dorm. Medical Potions would be more work than he had anticipated, even if Draco did have the class with him. The professor reminded him of Snape, and not in the brave and noble way. He was beginning to wonder if all potions professors were, at the very least, slightly unsavory. The good news was that his second class of the day, Wizarding Anatomy, looked to be relatively easy. That professor was warm and friendly, plus the material was not overly difficult. It would be mostly memorization, he was good enough at that.

Right now, though, he did not want to even think about classes or about the work ahead of him. Right now, Ron had class, Harry and Draco did not. As planned, the blonde was waiting for him in the hallway. Harry did not even pause to say hello before he shoved his key in the lock and swung the door open. Harry could almost feel the rush of hormones flood his body, aching for release. He and Draco had been apart for far too long, and now they were looking to make up for lost time.

Harry soon found himself pinned to the door, Draco's body pressed firmly against his. He could feel every contour, curve, and plain in the blonde's body, despite the layers of clothing between them. Warmth seeped through their clothes, making them feel closer than ever before. Fireworks exploded behind Harry's eyelids as their lips collided. Everything felt so right, so perfect. It also hurt to think of how many opportunities they had wasted in the previous year. He could have had this and so much more.

Harry's mind was brought back to the moment as Draco's hands explored his body. Every thought, every rational bone in his body drained out as Harry felt the buttons on his shirt open under Draco's fingers. Nothing in the world mattered except the two of them and the feeling of hot friction that would only increase as the pair continued. This, he figured, made all of the hardships that he had endured was worth it. He and Draco were together, in every sense of the word.

* * *

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Oh, and see, Ron is trying to be nice, he gets points for trying! Anyway, I would have updated on Friday (or earlier today) but I've been sick and lazy. Still, three updates in three weeks, that's not bad, right? Anyway, I'll try to keep up the good record with bringing out the next chapter next Friday, but no promises. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, even if it was a tad shorter than the others!


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next few weeks, Harry's life slipped into a comfortable routine. Helping Ashton with Muggle Studies was a breeze. They were watching different movies so everything was new, and he could also work on homework for other classes if he wanted to. Occasionally, he and Draco would go into the back room to "organize note" or "grade papers" or with some other boring sounding excuse. His classes were challenging, but not exceedingly difficult. He wasn't doing as well as he would have liked in Medical Potions with Draco, but he understood why. Very little studying actually took place in their study sessions.

Most of his free time was spent in the library with Draco, Blaise, Hermione, and Ron. Much to his surprise, though he could hardly claim that he was upset about it, Hermione seemed to have called thing off with Blaise. Their private study sessions were abandoned, replaced with Hermione spending time with Ron. Harry tried to ignore pestering little thoughts that claimed that the girl was not as happy as she used to be. Certainly it was true, but it had to be due to the recent break up. Soon she'd be back to normal and the whole mess with Blaise would be forgotten. He only hoped that it would happen soon.

When he was not in class or at the library, he was usually in his room. It had not taken long to memorize Ron's schedule, Harry and Draco knew exactly how long they would have Harry's dorm room to themselves. They took advantage of that time as best they could, spending hours exploring each other's bodies. They were always able to maintain the image of innocent studying by the time that the redhead returned.

Harry did not have any complaints about his sex life, that part of his relationship with Draco was strong. He worried about other aspects though. Admittedly, they did not talk much anymore. He did not want to bring it up for fear of sounding like a girl, but he missed the connection that he used to have. At times, it seemed like he and Draco did little more than have sex.

Things had been slowly improving between Ron and the two Slytherins. They weren't best friends, but both sides were making efforts to be more friendly.

The one thing that had not changed, and would probably never change, was the quality of the dorm. During the few weeks that he had been living there, the heat had fluctuated wildly. It had was always too hot or too cold, never comfortable. Today though, the heat was completely gone. Icy air outside had rushed through the small cracks in the window, chasing the heat from the room. It did not take long for the temperature to plummet, leaving the inhabitants shivering. Harry swore that if he had looked close enough, he would see tiny icicles forming on the ceiling, matching the larger ones growing outside.

A strong shiver ran through Harry's body as he wrapped his quilt tighter around his body. He had to finish studying. It was too late to go to the library, most other areas would be closed as well. He and Ron were doomed to freeze for at least the rest of the night. He tried not to think about it though, he had to focus on studying. There was a test in magical potions next class and his study session with Draco achieved very little actual studying. He had to memorize this recipe, no questions asked. Maybe, just maybe, focusing on how stupid he was would distract him from how cold he was.

A loud knock on the door made both Ron and Harry jump. Since Ron looked comfortable in his cocoon of blankets, Harry got up to answer the door. His heavy socks slipped on the linoleum and the thick quilt dragged on the floor like a king's cape. He was honestly not surprised to see Draco standing in the doorway. Harry had forgotten some of his notes for another class during the short time that they were actually studying in the library. Harry had hoped that the blonde would bring them back, and how he had. Draco was holding parchment with familiar handwriting scrawled on it.

He stepped into the room, probably going to ask Harry about the potion that they were supposed to be studying, but Harry never discovered the real reason. As soon as he entered, a chill went down Draco's spine. His eyes shifted between two frozen roommates. Both of them continued to shiver under their blankets.

"Are you actually planning to sleep like this?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

Ron and Harry looked at each other, nodding. It wasn't as though they had a choice. They didn't have another room to go to.

"Grab your pillows and blankets," Draco said, turning away and walking out the door.

Harry and Ron, still a little shell shocked, looked at each other for about half a second before they grabbed their pillows and rushed out. All of their blankets were already wrapped around them and soon found themselves in a warm hallway, heading towards Draco's room. Harry couldn't hide some of his excitement, he had never seen Draco's room before. Hopefully Ron would assume that he was just happy about going somewhere warm. Hopefully he wouldn't guess that he was excited about being in Draco's room. He missed the soft scent that clung to all of Draco's possessions, the way that everything seemed precious. He knew that being around Draco's belongings would not fill in the cracks that had begun to form in their relationship, but maybe the familiarity would help Harry remember why and how it had all begun. Hopefully it had not formed just because they spent so much time together.

"We have the beds bunked, so there is plenty of room on the floor," Draco announced as he swung the door open.

Something about Draco's voice bothered Harry. He seemed nervous somehow, though Harry had no idea why. The way that he said "we" when talking about him and his knew roommate just stuck in Harry's head. They had never had their beds bunked, they had started out with lines on the floor marking out territory and a list of rules more detailed than a national peace treaty. It did hurt to think about how much closer the Draco and his new roommate were. Harry knew that it was stupid, Draco was not living with this man by choice. They were thrown together by a roll of he dice and were making the best of it. What he and Draco had was more than that, he shouldn't feel threatened by this random person. That knowledge did little to change the fact that he did feel threatened.

"Theo, I've got two people here. Their heat isn't working in their room, so they are staying here tonight." Draco announced.

Harry released a deep breath that he did not realize he had been holding. There was a deep seeded segregation in the room, apart from the bed. All of Draco's things were in one area, all of his roommate's things, Theo's things, in a separate area. The bed bunking seemed to have been one only to provide more space for more separation. It was not the cozy little abode that he had feared finding.

"Ok, there's a cot under the bed, but only one," a voice said from the top bunk.

Harry froze for a moment, even though the room was toasty warm. The voice was not overly familiar, but he was certain that he had heard it before. He racked his brain trying to recall where he had heard it. It was not in a class, he knew that much. He didn't think that he had heard the voice more than once, maybe twice. He just could not recognize it until he saw the man peer over the side of the bed, his black hair, still a mess from sleep. His face was not something that Harry would ever forget. He could still picture him, struggling to get his pants on and introducing himself at the same time. This man, Theo, was the one that Draco had slept with the day that Crecentia had visited.

Harry glared at Draco, who seemed to be busying himself to avoid Harry's gaze. He had noticed that Draco had never talked about his roommate, he had just assumed that Draco did not care enough. There were many things that they never talked about, this topic had not seemed any different. Now there were so many other explanations, some of them that Harry just did not want to think about. All of the doubts began to creep into his head. The fact that his boyfriend was living with someone that he used to have sex with was not nearly as worrying as the fact that he had gone out of his way to avoid mentioning it. He doubted that Draco would cheat on him, but there really was not much backing up those beliefs.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry hissed quiet enough that Ron would not hear him.

Draco just looked away from his boyfriend without saying a word. When Harry moved to follow him, Draco let out a deep sigh and turned to address him. "Later tonight, after they go to sleep, we'll talk about it then."

Harry fumed, but he knew that Draco was right. It would be better for them to talk about it after everyone else was asleep. The bad thing about that was that it gave him lots of time to think. He tried to study, but his mind was just absorbed by worries about his relationship. Why would Draco hide such things? If there was nothing going on, then Draco had no reason not to tell him. These thoughts swirled around in his head as the time slowly ticked by.

"Thanks for letting us sleep here," Ron said, finally remembering his manners. Ron was only doing what Harry had asked. He was trying to be nice to Draco, and Harry was certain that the emotion was genuine. At the moment though, Harry just wanted him to shut up and go to sleep, politeness be damned!

"Well, Slytherin dorms were always freezing, so I know how hard it is to sleep in the cold," Draco shrugged, "And you both looked so pathetic wrapped up in your blankets."

"So the Slytherin has a warm heart" Ron rolled his eyes, knowing that Draco would just shrug off the comment.

"And cold blood, don't forget about that."

Ron looked over at Harry, as if to emphasize the fact that the two of them were getting along. Harry smiled back, acting as though he was not just about ready to strangle his friend. If the coming conversation did not go well, there might be no reason for Ron and Draco to try to get along. He hated to think like that, particularly when they were both putting so much effort into it, but there were so many ways that things could go wrong that night and very few ways that things could go right.

* * *

See, I didn't abandon this story. Yes, it has gone on the back burner, but I am absolutly swamped with school work. All of my classes this year beleive that I am only taking their class and have nothing else to do all week long except to work on things for their class. I have a graduate level class, two upper level classes in my major, and two gen ed/elective classes that think they are graduate level classes. On top of that I've been having financial problems, roommate problems, and I had swine flu (not as bad as the news makes it sound. I wouldnt reccomend getting it, but it isnt the worst flu I've had). I WILL NOT abandon this story until I have finished it, but there may very well be more gaps in updates like this last one. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, sorry that it is not as long as the other ones, and hopefully my next update will come quicker than this one.


	5. Chapter 5

A soft shake on Harry's shoulder made him wake up with a start. The room was dark and the floor was cold beneath him. As his eyes adjusted, he could see Ron curled up under a blanket a few feet away from him. He turned his head and was not surprised to find Draco crouched behind him. He could tell that the blonde was nervous, but he was pleased that Draco had kept his promise to talk with him once the others had fallen asleep. Harry sat up and grabbed both his glasses and his wand. He cast the now familiar silencing spell around the two of them so that they could not be overheard should one of the other occupants wake.

"Well?" Harry asked, still fighting off the sleep from the corners of his brain.

"I'm sorry," Draco sighed, "I should have told you."

"Yes, you should have."

"I didn't want to worry you, stupid reason, I know," Draco looked down and away, "We haven't done anything, me and Theo, I mean. He's asked a couple of times, but I think he's given up now. I told him that I wasn't interested because he was so terrible the last time. He hasn't talked to me much since then."

Harry looked Draco in the eye, taking him in. He could see the truth in his boyfriend's face, but it still bothered him that Draco hadn't been honest from the beginning. What else might he be hiding? Then again, there were probably many things that he simply hadn't gotten around to telling Draco. He hadn't mentioned that the girl he sat next to in Wizarding Anatomy had an obvious crush on him. Like with Draco's roommate, he hadn't bothered to mention it because he wasn't going to act on it. It honestly didn't affect him in any way. Then again, it hardly helped the communication between them. He couldn't pretend that they were as close as they had been the previous year.

"There are a lot of things that we don't talk about," Harry noted.

"I know." Draco took renewed interest in a small shadow that played against a wall. "Before, we weren't together, not really. We were friends at some point, I suppose. Things are just different now."

Harry swallowed, trying to find some alternative path for this conversation to take, something that pointed them in the right direction. He had no idea what that direction would be, just that he did not like the way that it was going right now.

"Ashton had a boyfriend." Draco said out of nowhere, "You know, before he was married. It almost killed him to say goodbye."

"You're afraid," Harry kept his eyes on the floor, "afraid of getting attached."

"Of getting hurt," Draco corrected.

"Same thing." Harry snorted. "What do people do? You know, people like Ashton or…"

The word "you" went unspoken between them. Neither spoke for a moment until Draco began.

"Depends. Some of them fall in love with their spouse, some have affairs. It's only 'okay' to have affairs after children have been born though, pass down the bloodline and all. And some end up hating their spouse. Ashton is like that, wont even wear the bloody ring." He let out a long hiss of breath, "That isn't what I want, all the fighting, they can't even be in the same room half the time."

"I think it's too late for me," Harry said quietly, trying not to think about the fact that Draco was already considering his relationship with his future wife, "I'm already attached, I'm going to get hurt no matter what."

"I know,"

"I think I love you."

"I already know that I love you," Draco smiled, leaning over and kissing Harry. "From now on, I'll try to talk to you more, open up more."

"I'd like that a lot," Harry said sleepily.

"Good, now get to sleep." Draco kissed him one last time before Harry lifted the spell. Things were going to be okay. With that last thought in his mind, he drifted off to sleep.

Yes, a VERY short chapter, and I apologize for making you wait so long for it. I couldn't make it longer simply because nothing could follow that scene. It took me so long because it was so emotional and awkward. I probably have half a million different versions scribbled down on paper and thrown about my room before I came up with this one.

Again, I SHALL NOT abandon this story! I have too many good ideas for it. Now that this pain of a chapter is out of the way, there should not be such hugely long pauses. I apologize greatly to those who had to wait for it!


	6. Chapter 6

Harry couldn't help but smile as he reached the Muggle Studies classroom. His relationship with Draco had improved, each of them making more time to simply talk and spend time with each other. There was still work to be done, the occasional awkward pause would appear when they ran out of things to talk about. Draco had begun sharing some stories of what it was like in Slytherin, Harry admitted to having snuck into the common room. He was surprised to find out that Draco had been in the Gryffindor common room several time, though he would not tell Harry how he had gained access

"That is one secret you'll never find out." He'd always say.

This particular day in muggle studies was a special one. They were watching an old romance movie that Harry had never heard of before, but Hermione apparently loved. Her eyes had gotten so big when Ron had mentioned it over breakfast the week before. Less than an hour later, Harry found himself standing next to his redheaded friend asking Ashton if he minded Hermione joining the class for a day. He had made some stupid joke about her being a muggle born, acting as if she was going to be a specimen rather than a person, but quickly agreed. Now Harry was sitting between her and Draco, ignoring the way that her eyes would drift over to where Ron and Blaise were sitting. The two of them were close enough together that he could simply pretend that she was always looking at her boyfriend.

Part of the way through the movie, a sliver of light entered the room, signaling that someone had opened the door. Harry glanced back and saw a woman standing at the back of the room, holding something in her arms. It was too dark for him to see what it was. A quick glance to the front of the room showed that Ashton was not exactly pleased at this woman's appearance in his class room. He glared back at her, his face visible in the blue light from the TV. The woman did not approach the front of the room and he did not move towards the back. She simply stood by the door and waited. Harry continued to watch them watch each other until the movie finished and Ashton turned on the lights.

"Alright, write a paragraph about who your favorite character was and why you like them, it is due next time. If you didn't like any of the, write about why you didn't like any of them. Out you go!" Ashton waved them all off, ignoring the woman.

With the lights on, Harry was better able to see the woman. She was attractive and well dressed, just a little older than he was, which put her at about the same age as Ashton. There was a small gold band around her ring finger and Harry could now see that the thing in her arms was a baby, sound asleep.

"That's Ashton's wife," Draco clarified, "And his new baby."

Harry's eyes flew wide. Ashton had a baby? He hadn't mentioned anything about it before, and the professor didn't seem pleased either. He stayed in his seat and watched what was playing out in front of him. Ron had skirted around the edge of the classroom and was now sitting next to Hermione, they were both silent, eyes transfixed on the young professor. The woman approached Ashton and offered up the child for him to look at. With one gaze at the sleeping infant, he turned away and started walking towards his office. The woman did not follow him. She turned towards the door, tears streaming down her face.

Without a word, Draco stood up and began marching towards Ashton's office. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed him. Harry couldn't believe that Ashton was acting so callus towards his wife, even though everyone knew that it was a forced marriage that he wanted out of. That baby was still his child, he could at least show some affection to it. Then again, he had seen the way that Mr. Malfoy treated Draco, most likely the way that many pureblood treated their children. Hardly made it right.

The argument had begun before Harry got into the room. He missed what Draco had said, only hearing Ashton's response.

"One son, I just need one son and then that girl and I can forget this sham! Once she pops out one son, she can go back to whoever it is that she loves and I can get back to finding someone that I love!"

"Look, you can try again next time."

"Yeah, and have sex with that…uck! I don't even want to think about it! I just want to get back to doing what I want to do!"

"Well, now you have a child, so you'll have it…"

"It will be dead in a weeks time anyway!" He spat at Draco, "DeQuarts, or whatever the hell they are claiming it is!"

"What?" Harry asked before his brain could tell his mouth to keep closed.

"DeQuairtz," Hermione corrected, "It is a blood disease mostly seen among pureblooded wizard lines, it's genetic, usually kills within the child's first week of life."

"It's a problem with the kid's genetics anyway," Ashton snorted.

"What?" Hermione raise an eyebrow.

"The brat isn't mine," Ashton clarified, "That's why he is going to die, there is no genetic disease."

"Is this true?" Hermione crossed her arms, glaring at Draco.

"Certain families use spells to determine parentage and keep bloodlines pure. Isn't it strange that with so much mixing of pure blood and muggle borns that only children of two pure bloods get this genetic disease, and oddly enough, the Weasly family has never had a single child get it? Even stranger, it is only the rich families whose kids die of this. You think that is a coincidence?" Ashton spat.

"That is disgusting!" Hermione shouted, storming off.

Ron glared at Draco and Ashton now, though neither seemed to really care. Harry took a step back, not wanting to get in the middle. Certainly, he did not agree with killing babies, he doubted that anyone would, but he doubted that Ashton or Draco had any say on the fate of this child.

"You made my girlfriend cry," Ron sneered.

"First off, we don't actually know she is crying, she left, but yeah, she probably is." Ashton snorted, "And second off, I'd reexamine that whole girlfriend thing."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, loosing some of his anger to confusion.

"Where did she spend Christmas? What was she doing the whole time you weren't here? Why does she spend so much time "studying" when Draco used to whine about her being a know-it-all? Think about it."

Ron's mouth stood open as he looked over to Harry and Draco.

"You knew!" He shouted at them. "Hermione, she…Blaise?"

"Harry didn't know." Draco lied, "and I wasn't your friend then. I had no reason to tell you."

Ron looked back and forth between them before storming out of the room, slamming the office door on his way out.

"That went well," Ashton mused, "Now if you don't mind, I suppose I should start planning my unwanted wife's child's funeral, so leave!"

Harry and Draco walked out of the room, knowing that Harry's circle of friends was crashing down around him. Ron wasn't likely to forgive Hermione, and Hermione was likely to blame one of them for Ron finding out, and Harry didn't want to be asked to choose sides. While he knew that what Hermione had done was wrong, it wasn't like he was much better. He didn't exactly have plans to tell Ron about his relationship either.

"Hey, thanks for telling him I didn't know," Harry said with a deep sigh.

Draco smiled, glancing around the empty space before giving Harry a deep kiss, "It will be alright."

Sorry that it took so long to update! I have no excuses.


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